


Once upon a time...

by YvY91



Series: The Gift [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Attempted Murder, Blood and Injury, Character Death, Drowning, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Hurt Gavin Reed, Its Cole, Whump, Worried Hank Anderson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:26:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22396279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YvY91/pseuds/YvY91
Summary: All good things come to an end, even if the good things only lasted a short time.OrA small glimpse into the lives of Gavin Reed and Hank Anderson before a tragedy broke everything apart.
Relationships: Cole Anderson & Gavin Reed, Gavin Reed/Original Male Character(s), Hank Anderson & Gavin Reed
Series: The Gift [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611979
Comments: 12
Kudos: 105





	Once upon a time...

**Author's Note:**

> Me, writing a story in one day because I'm sick at home, and the idea just came over me. 
> 
> I choose this summery to spoiler as little as possible. But be aware that there will be scenes of abuse in this. Read with caution!!!!
> 
> I repeat, read with caution.

Gavin Reed grumbled under his breath

It was early, way too early. 

For everything. 

Even for the coffee, that slowly turned cold inside the blue mug on the desk in front of him. 

Grey, tired eyes kept blinking down at the brown liquid like it had offended him in some way until he reached out to close his cold, bruised fingers around the warm surface. 

The cup was new, a gift from Cole, his partner's son. The six-year-old boy had heard that Gavin's last cup had broken and given him a new one for his birthday.

The officer, freshly turned detective a few day ago, had been touched by this, and used this one to drink his coffee ever since.

But today the memories couldn't put a smile on his lips. Not to mention that if he tried, his whole face would turn into a world of pain.

With one fingertip he caressed over the cracked open skin on his lips, wincing at the sudden pain it brought. 

"What the fuck happened to you?" asked a deep voice, while at the same time a shadow suddenly towered Gavin. The young detective had to lean back a little bit to look up from his seated position at the desk. 

Hank Anderson, his partner for almost four years now, stood right in front of him. His blue eyes looked over every little mark and bruise that covered Gavin Reed's face and neck. 

The brunette let out a stressed, tired sigh, "I had a fight with David." he answered truthfully. Hank knew of the abuse Gavin was going through on a regular basis.

Still, admitting all of this hurt Gavin almost as much as the beatings.

"C'mon, up." Gavin, with his eyebrows raised, watched as Hank left the office. He emptied his coffee in a hurry and jogged after his partner, who had reached their patrol car by the time Gavin caught up.

"Hank, where are we going? Do we have a new case?" asked Gavin after he sat down on the passengers' side. 

"Home." was the answer he got. Short and tense.

It made the younger man's heart leap inside his chest like a frightened bird, begging for release. 

"Home? No, Hank. Please don't..." 

"Gavin, calm down. I didn't mean your home. You are coming to my house. We talk, and I want to see if you aren't hiding any seriously wounds underneath that shirt and jacket. That's the deal." Hank had put on his 'no nonsense' tone, the hell would Gavin start a fight against the older man when he was like this. 

It was their deal after all. Even if Gavin wanted to fight it with everything he had. 

It was something Gavin had agreed to after the first time he had shown up in front of his partner's doorstep in the middle of the night because he had nowhere else to go.

Bloody and bruised. 

It wasn't the first time that Gavin had been beaten, but it was the first time that he had admitted his devastating defeat in his relationship with David and turned to Hank for help.

The older man had been angry beyond belief and had threatened to drive over to arrest Gavin's boyfriend. 

Still, Gavin begged the other man not to. That maybe something was still salvageable, and that he wouldn't press charges against David anyway. 

Hank, fuming and muttering to himself, had relented under the condition that Gavin came to him for help if needed. And under no circumstances was Gavin allowed to hide life-threatening injuries.

Gavin hid them anyway, as Hank had found out later, so here they were, driving to Hank Anderson's house. 

There was going to be an argument, Gavin could already feel it brewing in the tense air between them. Jesus, he could see it in the tense muscle, and overly strong grip Hank had on the steering wheel. 

Swallowing heavily, Gavin surrendered to his fate. 

It wasn't long until they arrived on Hanks front door, neither had spoken a word during the whole drive. 

After entering the house, Gavin was greeted by Sumo, the dog was large even though he was still a pup. Bending down, Gavin started to bury his hand inside the soft fur. It felt relaxing to pet this giant, not that he would ever admit it out loud. He was and would always be a cat person. 

The clatter of plastic hitting wood brought him back to the present, and grey eyes fixed the object that has clearly been used too often in the past few weeks. 

Hank's first aid kit. 

"C'mon kid, you know the procedure already." said Hank as he dragged one chair back from the table, the sound of wood scraping over wood raised the small hairs on the back of Gavin's neck.

Reluctantly, Gavin sat down, wincing at the painful protest of his muscle. He started taking off his shirt and only made it after Hank helped him lift it over his head.

"Jesus Christ, Gavin. Did he try to kill you this time? That damn fucking asshole, I should arrest him, or better yet, shoot him." growled Hank as the extent of the damage that was done to Gavin's body came into view. 

Gavin looked down in shame, of course he knew what he looked like, and it didn't help that he just took everything David gave out. Every kick, beating...insult. 

Everything. 

Gavin should know better, he himself had worked on cases with domestic violence, abused women, and men. He knew that it wouldn't get any better...that he had to do something. 

Something cold touched the back of his shoulder and Gavin jumped in surprise.

Hank's large, warm hand dropped gently on the other shoulder, "Sorry, I have to clean the cuts."

Gavin just nodded in response and started to fiddle with his fingers while the older man behind him cleaned to open cuts and scrapes, every so often a small whimper left his cut lips until Sumo draped his large head on Gavin's knees. 

It was the perfect way for Gavin to concentrate on something else other then the pain and the humiliation he felt. The scratching of his fingers over the dog's fur made the large breed happily wag its tail, and Gavin smiled in response.

Maybe dogs were as good as cats...at least this one was. 

So focused on petting the dog, he didn't notice when Hank finished and walked away until the older man's deep voice drew his attention back.

"Here, take this. It's warmer than the thin shirt you were wearing." a large but soft looking, worn out hoodie was held out to him.

Hesitantly Gavin reached out for it and with one last look to his partner he pulled it over his head. 

"So," Gavin started, "Thanks. For the hoodie and everything else...I- Is Cole in school?" 

Hank snorted in response, "You know he's at school, stop beating around the damn bush....Kid, this..." the older man pointed to the bruises on Gavin's face, "Needs to stop. You can't do this to yourself, please let me help."

Gavin watched as Hank sat himself down on the chair beside him, while he bit the inside of his lips, letting the painful twinge it left behind wash over him. 

"What if he goes too far the next time. What if he beats you to death? Damn, Gavin I'm worried about you. I don't want to get a call one day saying you were found dead inside your apartment. What if that happens...I'm the one to tell Cole that his 'cool older brother' is dead?"

With his eyes ripped wide open, Gavin jumped up from his seated position, "Don't you bring Cole into this. He has nothing to do with all of this!!" 

"He does! And me, too! Gavin, you are a part of this family. Your are like a son to me, please, please let me help you. Let me help you get away from David."

Gavin stood stock still. Cole did indeed call him big brother from time to time, but that Hank saw him as a son was new to him. Worried blue eyes watched him carefully, waiting for Gavin's next outburst. 

The burning of tears at the back of Gavin's eyes were followed by a heavy, heartfelt sob and a moment later he was encased by two strong arms. 

Warm and safe. Pressed against Hanks broad chest, he let himself lean heavily against the larger man, crying his heart out. 

Months of holding back up to this point where everything just rushed out at once. All the pain, loneliness, sadness. 

After a few minutes Gavin's heavy sobs turned to small hiccups and he stepped away from the embrace, heat slowly crawling up his neck turning his skin into a nice red. 

"Listen, Gavin. In the end, I cannot force you to leave that shithead of a boyfriend. I can only ask you to keep yourself safe, and do what you need to do." Hank let or a weary sigh, "So, you want to stay here or go home? I'll cover you at work either way."

The younger man moved his head in a mix between a shake and nod. They both knew Gavin would leave, but just Hank asking for him to stay filled his chest with warmth. 

"Yeah, alright. Thank you, Hank." said Gavin, his voice cracking in the middle. "Give Cole my greetings." 

"I will." replied the older man and Gavin reached for the door but he was stopped again by Hank. 

"Oh, wait. Shit. I almost forgot to give you this...wait a second." with heavy footsteps the older man left for another room while Gavin was left behind, with the doorknob still half tuned in his hand. 

When Hank reappeared, he was holding something large in one of his hand. A jacket. 

A reddish-brown leather jacket. 

"This is for you," said Hank while he started to drape it over Gavin still shoulders, "I got a while ago. I wanted to give it to after you manage to get the title as a detective. So, congrats again. I'm proud of you, kid."

Dumbfounded, Gavin looked down on himself, mustering the jacket. It was beautiful. He never had received something like this, and together with the words from Hank, that he was proud of him, nearly made him cry again. 

Hastily he blinked them away. 

"Thanks old man." were the only words the young detective managed to choke out, though, Gavin was unable to suppress a large smile from spreading over his face. It hurt, but was worth it. 

"I'll give you 'old man' you little shit. How does a month of desk work sound? All the paperwork just for you..." Hank returned with a smile of his own. 

"See you tomorrow, Hank." Gavin said goodbye and closed the front door behind himself before the other man could say something else. 

Once outside, he called for a cap and wandered down the street a bit. His arms now slipped inside the sleeves of the jacket and he looked down again. It fitted him perfectly. 

The feeling of not deserving such a gift came over him, leaving a bitter taste inside his mouth. 

How could he ever repay Hank for all this? 

The cap arrived almost too fast and Gavin stood in front of his apartment door not too long after. 

He dreaded to enter. Not knowing what was on the other side. 

David in a good mood meant no beatings, and being dotted over. Apology over Apology for the outburst the evening before would follow. 

David in a bad mood meant more beatings and insults. 

After he opened the door he listened closely, he waited with bated breath for sounds from inside. Nothing. Everything was eerily quiet. 

Gathering his courage, he entered and walked straight to the kitchen where he placed his keys inside a bowl and his phone beside it. 

Damn, Gavin was walking around in his own house like an intruder and not like someone who lived here.

"Where did you get that jacket from?" the unexpected voice of his boyfriend droned from right behind him and he jerked around in response. 

"Jesus, you scared the crap out of me," the detective tried to hold his voice calm and playful, hoping not to get the other man to lash out at him instantly. 

"I don't care. Where did you get that jacket from, Gavin? I won't ask twice." demanded David, stepping further inside Gavin's personal space. 

Shit, David wasn't only in a bad mood, but a very bad one. Fuck, Gavin could not deal with a repeat of the day before. 

With an effort to soothe David's mood Gavin turned around his own axis as if to present the new jacket. "I bought it. You like it?" Gavin asked the other man. 

The look on his boyfriend's face turned sour and Gavin's heart fell heavily inside his chest. 

He was grabbed by the front of his hoodie and the leather jacket was forcefully yanked away from his body not a second later. 

Gavin immediately realized the mistake he just made. 

It was the worn-out hoodie. A piece of clothing not resembling his own wardrobe, and neither was it something he could have bought. 

Fuck

"You whore!!" David's scream was expected, the hit of a fist to Gavin's stomach wasn't. 

The brunette let out cough, bending forwards with his arms wrapped around his middle in an attempt to protect himself. 

"David, please. Stop. Hank gave it to me. I was freezing -" the last words Gavin wanted to say were drowned out by a strangled noise as David reached out to grip at the hood and pulled back. 

The normally soft fabric of the hoodie was now wrapped tightly around Gavin's throat, successfully cutting of the airflow. 

"Now you listen to me. I won't tolerate you whoring around. No one gets to touch you but me." David's warm breath hit the side of Gavin's face before he was dropped suddenly. For a few moments he couldn't anything other than cough and draw air inside his oxygen starved lungs. 

"Stand up, Gavin. We aren't finished yet." David's larger body loomed over him, casting a long shadow. 

Gavin let out a whimper. Why couldn't he fight back? He was a cop...a detective. Why?! 

Why couldn't he fight back?! 

"I TOLD YOU TO STAND UP!!!" David, with his patience at its end, grasped Gavin's upper arm and dragged him to the middle of the room. 

"Urghh...David, please stop. Stop it already. I can't do this anymore. Please." Gavin begged, curling his body together as tightly as possible. 

It was all the brunette could do before the feeling of a fist rained down on him. Again and again. Until he couldn't count the amount of the hits his body had taken. 

Gavin cried out in pain, hot tears sliding down his face, when his eyes were suddenly drawn to the reddish-brown colored leather jacket on the ground, just a few feet away. 

Hanks words reverberated through his head. 

_"....you are family....like a son to me."_

_"....I don't want to get a call saying you were found dead..."_

_Hank._

_Cole._

With a cry, Gavin wrapped one hand around David's ankle and pulled forcefully, tipping the other man from his position over Gavin. 

A startled cry followed by the sound of a body hitting the floor rang throughout the apartment and Gavin stood up to run as fast as his trembling legs could carry him to the kitchen where his phone was.

He grabbed his cell phone from the counter and typed in the single word "help" and sent it without looking down.

"Oh nonono, you're not calling for anyone..." David called out, a menacing look over his face. For the first time since being together with David, he realized how ugly the other man's face could be. 

Gavin, with his muscles tense to the point of bursting, increase the space between the blond haired man and himself, and started screaming, "Listen David, this ends now. I won't let you abuse me anymore!!" 

With a heavy growl, David pounced forward, fast and deadly. Large hands wrapped around Gavin's neck before had the chance to dodge and he was pulled and dragged back to the center of the living room. 

Gavin felt a hand grasp the back of his hair and suddenly he was pushed down, fast and face first. The glass surface of the coffee table met him and his world exploded into one of agony. 

Sounds of breaking glass, his own howling sounds, and David's screaming must have been heard through the whole street. 

Blood gushed everywhere, for a moment Gavin wondered why he was still conscious, he was sure his whole face was just ripped in two halves. If it was still there at all, he wasn't sure. 

Laying on the floor, shards of glass all around him, he blinked his eyes open in a daze. Blood collected everywhere while his face pulsed simultaneously to his frantically beating heart. 

His legs were pulled up and felt himself being dragged over the hard cold wooden floor, past the leather jacket, and down the hall where the bathroom door was. 

Black spots started to form around his vision, not good. Not good at all. He needed to stay awake long enough for Hank to arrive. 

The sound of water being filled into the bathtub reached his ears, and Gavin tried to crawl away, but his limbs were too heavy, the loss of blood too severe. 

He should have taken Hank's offer. 

"I'm sorry...." Gavin whispered, for no one to hear. 

The faces of Cole and Hank swam in front of his half closed eyes and the feeling of Hank's arms wrapped around him. 

Warm and safe. 

He let himself drift with the feeling of it and knew nothing anymore.

^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^

  
"Fuck, fuck, fuck..." Hank cursed under his breath as he ran from his car to Gavin apartment. The massage for help arrived not long after Hank had returned to the precinct, his heart almost stopped after reading it. 

One single word. Not enough time for Gavin to write a sentence.  
Just on word. 

He radioed for an ambulance too, right before he parked his car. The spare key to the apartment's door digged painfully into the palm of his hand, nevertheless he gripped it even tighter. 

Without ringing or knocking, he opened the door, and the sound of running water met him. The Lieutenant ventured further inside, stopping at the door to the bathroom. His feet in a pool of water that slowly ran from underneath the closed door. 

The gun now in his hands, Hank slowly pushed the door open. His blue eyes opened wide in surprise, there in front of the bathtub stood Gavin's boyfriend elbows inside pinkish colored water, pushing a person down.

And Hank knew those dark brown boots of his partner.

That was Gavin inside the tub.

Angry beyond imagination Hank leveled his weapon, "Get your hands off him, or I will shoot your damn head of your shoulders, asshole."

The man, still bent over Gavin, jumped in surprise. He turned around, broad shoulders, blond hair, and green eyes. Yep, that was David. 

"Step back, Now! I won't ask again. Move!" screamed Hank. And move David did, his large form came barreling towards Hank, who didn't hesitate at this point. A shot was fired, a dead body hit the floor. 

Holstering his weapon Hank hurried over to the tub to turn off the tab, before dipping his arms inside the pink water. 

With Gavin's limp body secure in his grip, he pulled the younger man out of the water and carried him out to the hallway, were it was dry.

The young detective's limbs dangled down lifelessly and only moved with the motion of each step Hank took, it reinforce the fear inside the man's mind that he was too late.

Carefully he laid the brunette to the ground and cupped Gavin's ice cold face gently between his hands. "Gavin...no." 

Gavin was dead. Hank was sure. 

It was a gruesome sight, deep cuts went from the left cheek over Gavin's nose, and then over to the right cheek. 

And it didn't bleed like it would have if Gavin still had a heartbeat. 

Hank checked nonetheless, but neither heartbeat nor breathing met him. The older man cursed yet again as he braced himself against Gavin's sternum. Ribs bowed under the force with each steady push. 

Gavin's blue lips were ice cold against his own and after two breathes were delivered to unmoving lungs, Hank started again. 

"C'mon kid, please. Don't let that asshole win. You have to fight. For me and Cole. Remember? Please, son...don't do that to us, damn...." Hank muttered under his breath, hoping that the young man under his hands could somehow hear him. 

Paramedics came rushing through the door and everything went blurry after that. Hank watched as they tried to revive the lifeless person on the ground. With a breathing tube down Gavin's throat and patches on the unmoving chest to coax the still heart back to life with shocks of electricity. 

Everything went without success and Gavin was transported to the ambulance in a hurry while Hank followed them numbly, never averting his eyes, always watching carefully for any signs of life. 

The chances of Gavin's survival went down until it was almost non-existent. Tears had started to fill blue eyes to the brim until they slipped out. 

Everyone around Gavin was working feverishly, but Gavin remained motionless.

Blue lips, slightly parted due to the breathing tube between them. Dark, almost black eyelashes that rested heavily on white skin. The whole face bluish-white beside the large cuts that stood out in a deep red color. 

An image that would be burned into Hank's mind forever.

A jolt, retching and a pained cry filled the air. With the tube suddenly out of the detective's throat he was pushed onto his side to aid him remove the water from his lungs. 

Even Hank reached forward to catch Gavin's hand as it reached blindly forward. "That's it, son. Let it out. It's alright, you're safe now." Hank talked while Gavin gripped back weakly at his hand as if one of them was going to disappear at any moment.

With the now beating heart and restored circulatory system the cuts on Gavin's face started to bleed more heavily. Deep red blood gushed over the still to pale and frightened face, breaking Hank's heart. 

With his free hand he brushed back the strands of damp hair, carding further down the head. Gavin, despite the dressings that were pressed again the cuts to keep the bleeding at bay, tried to lean against Hank's hand and turn around to get a better few. 

"Don't try to move, let them work, kid. I'm here and not going anywhere." whispering against Gavin's ear, the older man tugged gently at the strands between his fingers, it settled the detective's attempts to move. 

Grey eyes blinked a few more time until they fluttered shut, and suddenly the body before Hank tensed, bowing where it was hold down by the paramedics. Screeching alarms blared through the small space and Hank was pushed back again, causing him to lose the grip on Gavin's hand and hair. 

Words like hypoxia, respiratory distress and shock, were thrown above Hank's head until the ambulance came to a halt and Gavin was taken. With his heart racing, Hank sat in the of the now empty car for a few moments, but due to him being the younger man's next of kin he hurried after them. 

The older man filled out the paperwork given to him and was asked to wait, and Hank, after asking his neighbor to watch Cole for him, waited for hours in the waiting area of the hospital. 

When a doctor finally arrived, the Lieutenant had already emptied his sixth cup of coffee. He was told that Gavin Reed was lucky. He had lost a large amount of blood and there were numerous cuts on the young detective's face that would leave scars behind, a slight concussion and water inside his lungs. 

They needed Gavin to stay for at least four days to observe him better, and to treat the early stages of pneumonia. 

A lot of willpower was need to enter Gavin's room, he hated seeing the younger man hurt. 

Walking to a plastic chair beside the bed he let himself slump down and his eyes wandered over the still figure on the bed. 

An arm was hooked to an IV and a bag for getting blood he lost back into Gavin's body, a nasal-cannula under the nose and his face...one eyes swollen shut, bruised blue and purple but the worst were the white bandages all over Gavin's face. 

Hank could only speculate how it looked underneath it and shuddered at the thought. 

Scooting forward with the chair he reached out to grip Gavin's hand, feeling the cool skin against his own, after a few moment he pressed his index finger against the pulse on the wrist. Despite the soft beeping of the heart rate monitor in the background Hank needed to feel it himself, feeling the heartbeat under his fingertips. 

Just hours ago he was bent over Gavin's dead and lifeless body, unable to revive him, so it was reassuring to know he didn't lose the younger man forever. 

"Damn, kid. That was too close." murmured Hank, giving the hand in his own a squeeze when it suddenly started to move. 

Sitting up to get a better view, he saw one eye slowly opening, "Gavin? You already awake?" 

"Hmm, wish I weren't. Fuck. Hurts..." whimpered Gavin while he moved slightly underneath the covers, "Hank? What happened?" 

An half opened, dazed grey eye looked back at him while the other was swollen shut tightly. 

"David happened." Was the only response Hank could choke out, but there weren't needed more words. He could see it on Gavin's face, how it pulled into a grimace, even underneath the bandaged part. 

A tear slipped down at the side of bruised skin, followed by another, and another until a small rivulet ran down, slowly wetting the pillowcase. 

The older man let Gavin cry himself out, but kept a steady grip on the other's hand. 

Minutes went by and Hank had to admit he was surprised that Gavin was still awake, 

"Did you arrest David?" The question was spoken so quietly it almost went unheard, and Hank's heart sunk. He wasn't sorry in the slightest for shooting that asshole, not to forget in self-defense. A dead person who should be left to rot in prison rather than under the earth. 

"Gavin, I want you to listen very carefully now. When I arrived, David was just about to drown you in the bathtub. He tried to attacked me after I told him to step away. I shot him." 

Silence stretched between them, Gavin had pressed his eyes shut tightly, obviously fighting against a new flood of tears. 

Hank let out a stressful sigh, "I'm sorry, Gavin. I-" 

The hand under his own turned and tugged at Hank's fingers, "Don't..." the younger man breathed, "Don't you dare to apologize. He had it coming...you saved my life, Hank. I just wish it went differently." 

"Thank you for saving me," he repeated, and his eye finally dropped shut in clear exhaustion. 

"Don't thank me. I'm just glad you're not dead son. Try to get some sleep okay? I have to go home, Cole is probably waiting. I promise I'll be back tomorrow." Gavin nodded weakly, half asleep, and Hank brushed a few fringes away from the grey-eyed man's forehead before he left, closing the door quietly behind himself.

^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^

The next morning came to fast, Gavin's mind, sluggish and drugged, needed ten minutes to figure out where he was, and how he landed himself in the hospital again. 

He let out a groan. Everything throbbed with pain that should be there, but was held at bay by drugs. 

At some point the feeling to his arms and legs returned, and he slowly managed to sit himself up against the pillow behind him. With his fingertips he traced the bandages over his face.   
How much of his face was still there? 

He remembered the sound of breaking glass and the agony as it slipped through his skin, cutting deeper and deeper.   
Fuck. It wasn't something he would ever forget. 

And David Wesson was dead, shot by Gavin's partner and father figure. The longer he thought about it, the more relieved he became. He was free, Gavin didn't need to be afraid again when he got home, or the other man's mood turned sour. 

No more beatings. 

No more screaming. 

No more fear. 

^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^°^

Time went by in a haze, Gavin would fall asleep and wake throughout the morning. At some point he realized that he wasn't alone, he carefully turned his head to see who sat on the chair beside him, and was met with tired looking blue eyes. 

"Hey, kid. How you feeling?" 

Gavin hummed and tried to smile a little, the stitches under the bandages pulled uncomfortable, "Good, drugged..."

A heavy snort followed.

"I talked to Jeffrey this morning. He keeps everything wrapped tightly. No gossiping in the office."

Gavin hadn't even thought about it, but it didn't matter anyway. Everyone in the DPD had seen the bruises Gavin sometimes wore, and didn't believe his excuses that it was just a bar fight. 

Hank leaned back in the chair, "I was in your apartment too. I thought you might want some clothes and..." he gestured over to the other chair, draped over it was the leather jacket. 

There was this feeling again. In his chest. Warm and safe. 

"How can I ever repay you, Hank? You don't need to care about me...most people don't...Hell, you even care more than my parents or brother ever did." Gavin looked down to the bed covers, his finger started to play nervously with a small thread that hung loosely on the edge. 

A finger nudged underneath his chin causing Gavin to look up into intense blue eyes. "You don't need to repay me shit. I do all this because I love you, kid. I've known you for ten years now. You were there when my wife left, you where there when I needed someone to look after Cole, and he looks up to you like you hung up the damn moon. You are a good cop, and an even better man. I would be proud to call you my son." 

  
Choking noises left Gavin's throat, so many emotions that bubbled right beneath the surface, he wanted to cry, laugh, enjoy the feeling of freedom without the constant fear that hung like a shadow over him. 

Strong arms slowly wrapped around his shoulders, pulling Gavin into a hug, or at least as far as it could go with him sitting on the hospital bed like that. 

Gavin pressed his face against the older man's chest, it hurt him to do so, but it was worth it. 

"Thank you and I love you too...Dad." a true smile raised one side of his lips. 

Hank stepped back and cleared his throat with a cough, "So, Cole asked to see you. You up for a visit?" 

Nodding without hesitation Gavin said, "Yeah, why not. I just hope I don't scare him with all the bandages and bruises." 

A small clap on landed on the younger man's shoulder, "Alright then. We will come by tomorrow, you keep resting. Oh and the doc told me you can leave in two days, so at least something to look forward to, right." 

The rest of the day was spend with more sleeping. Gavin couldn't remember the last time he slept that much, it was like his body had to catch up from all the sleepless nights he spend awake with fear of moving and waking David. 

And so it went on a day later, until he woke up in the late evening to a high pitched voice calling out for him, and he immediately knew who it was without even opening his eyes. 

"Gavin!!!" Cole yelled in excitement and almost jumped onto the bed, only Hanks fast reflexes kept him from doing so. 

Gavin looked down at the beaming child in front of the bed, "Hey kiddo, how is it going?" 

Cole still jumping up and down, high on energy, went on how boring it was without Gavin and what Sumo did the last few days. 

Gavin listened, nodded, and asked questions. Never taking his eyes away from Cole. The sixth year old could speak without taking air into his lungs. Gavin almost laughed at the sight.

  
When Hank announced that it was time to go home, Cole looked sad, and Gavin reassured him that they would see each other in a day or two. 

Just as Gavin thought they were about to leave Cole turned around again and pulled something out of his pocket. "Here, this is for you. A Sumo to keep you safe." a small plush toy was pressed into Gavin's hand. He looked down, it was a plush dog, looking exactly like the real Sumo. 

He let his finger careful caress over the soft material and smiled. "Thank you, Cole. I'm sure I'll be safe from now on." The boy beamed back at him, and Gavin stole a quick glance towards Hank, who stood behind Cole.

"I will be here to pick you up tomorrow, and you are staying with us for a few days if that's okay with you." asked Hank and Gavin just nodded in response. He had already suspected that he would spend the next few days with Hank and Cole.

The night went by slowly, Gavin tossed and turned, his stitches pulled on his face painfully, and each bruise hurt with the contact on the mattress. They started weaning him off the painkillers and it wasn't fun at all.

He glance at the small stuffed dog and reached out for it. Turning it around in his hands again and again until he fell asleep. 

The next morning Gavin was sitting on the bed fully clothed, waiting for Hank to come to pick him up when Ben Collins suddenly entered the room. Gavin frowned at the other man. Looking up and down he took in the rumpled and extremely tired appearance. 

"Hmm, Ben you look like shit. Something wrong?" Gavin asked, his voice tense. Something heavy settled inside his chest. 

And it grew by the second when he saw the other man shake his head in response, "No Reed, I'm sorry. There was an accident. Hank and Cole were involved in an car accident on the way home yesterday. Cole didn't make it." 

As if in a trance, Gavin looked to the floor, he heard what the other man was telling him but couldn't believe it. It wasn't true. 

  
His inside felt like something was tearing everything apart, "What about Hank?"

No. No. No. Please.

"Anderson is at home, Fowler was with him. Hank mentioned that he wanted to pick you up today?" Collin's shoes squeaked on the linoleum as he moved from leg to leg. 

"No, it's alright. I need- Fuck...I need to be alone. I'll get a cap home. Just-" his hands fisted the bedcovers he was still sitting on. Collins talked to him again but Gavin ignored him. A few minutes later he left with a defeated sigh. 

Tears started to stream down his face, leaving a burning feeling behind where they touched his newly scars. 

Gavin didn't know how long he sat there, crying and alone.

Breathing deeply for a few moments he gathered himself and looked to the leather jacket on the chair in front of him. He took it and caressed the surface of it. The detective picked up his bag started walking.

With a heavy heart he left the front doors of the hospital behind him, there was only one person he wanted, no, needed to see now. 

With his bag in hand, he stood in front of Hank's doorstep, hearing the cap drive away behind him. With his eyes burning but dry, at least for now, he knocked at the door, though, no one answered. Gavin decided to use his key to enter, he opened the door slowly, peering inside the living area. 

"Hank?" Gavin called out.

He jumped at the banging noise and footsteps racing towards him, "Get the fuck out! I told everyone to leave me alone. That includes you, too."

"Hank, please...I'm sorry. Collins told me what happened. A- About Cole. I -" He stammered, feeling small under the angry and pain filled gaze on Hank's face. 

"You are what? Sorry? Everyone is sorry... If only sorry could bring my son back. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had come to the hospital to visit you." The pain inside Gavin's chest intensified with each word. And something started to rear its ugly head.

Hank kept screaming while he pushed his fingers against Gavin's collarbone ,"Cole wanted to see you, if you just had listened to me and stayed here or just left David. And that android ...You know what...Just go." seethed the older man.

Gavin was aware that it was utter sadness and despair that made Hank lash out like this and he refused the move his legs and go. He started to weep instead. How many tears could a grown man cry until there were none left?

"Hank, please. I- " A heavy push against his chest let him stumble back against the wall beside the entrance.   
  
"Go!! Don't come back, and tell Fowler we aren't partners anymore either. And don't you dare call me." Gavin fled, his bag in hand, he ran down the street. Hank's loud voice screaming after him.

_"I never want to see you here again!!"_

For hours Gavin wandered through the streets, always with the thoughts in mind, that all of this was his fault. He needed Hank, he needed Cole. He didn't have anyone anymore.

At home, his eyes tried to find something that could maybe calm his racing heart, stop the feeling of drowning from inside out. Only traces of destruction were left, his own dried blood in patches on the floor.

Stumbling back until his back met the wall, he let himself slide down, and reached inside the bag beside him, rummaging around until he found what he looked for.

Hours later, Gavin still sat on the cold hard ground with his back against the wall, crying bitterly. 

In his hands, gripped tightly, was the small plush toy resembling Sumo. Gavin pressed the small plush dog against himself as if the small toy could save him from the devastation inside of himself. Tear after tear dropped onto it, wetting the soft material.

The Gavin Reed from a few weeks before vanished and born was an even more broken man.

Maybe David had been right and Gavin deserved all the hate he could get and who could hate himself more and better than...well, himself. 

**Author's Note:**

> Who is crying? .... ME.... Someone help.... 
> 
> I never cried while writing a story before. I'm in need of something fluffy and happy and my cats look at me like I'm an asshole because I want a hug. 
> 
> Furry little shits. Still love them, though. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading this and I would love to hear what you think. 
> 
> There will be a second part to this with a happy ending. Don't know when, but it's definitely planned.


End file.
